Stepping In
by JasonMorganfan87
Summary: This story takes place in my series 'The Forbidden' universe. What if Gabriel and gotten Sam back at a young age. John goes too far with Sam one night and Chuck intervenes. He had been prepared to let things come to pass, but no one would harm his grandson
1. Chapter 1

**Stepping In**

 **A/N: This chapter contains child abuse.**

Chuck stood off to the side of the Winchester's motel room. Gabriel didn't know, but during the rare times that he couldn't be there to watch over his son, Chuck tried to be there to do it for him. The boy needed looking after, especially with his supposed guardian.

Chuck couldn't say he approved of the man who'd been left to care for his eight-year-old grandson. When John Winchester wasn't provoking the supernatural, and taking two young boys along for the ride at times, he was drinking until he passed out. The man wasn't fit to take care of his own son, let alone the little fledgling.

Chuck couldn't fault his son for leaving the boy with Winchester. Gabriel was between a rock and a hard place. He knew the law regarding Nephilim, and he knew that Michael would enforce that law if he found out.

Of course, Chuck could step in. One word from him, and the all danger for Sam would disappear. Michael would never go against him. All he had to do was say the law as abolished and Michael would embrace the boy no questions asked. But Chuck wasn't going to do that. He'd decided long ago to stop intervening for a while. He wanted his children to embrace free will. Plus, he'd seen the affect that his young grandson would have in the future. He didn't want to interfere with that.

Still, Chuck did not trust John Winchester with Sam. The scene in front of him was why. John was alone with Sam, as his son was out doing research on their latest hunt. John was angry at Sam for not following through on some training he told him to do. The man had had a few drinks, so he was even more angry.

"You were supposed to go with your brother to practice shooting. Why weren't you there when he went to pick you up?" John asked angrily. He'd been trying to get his youngest trained in the few months since the boy found out about the supernatural, but the boy kept shirking off.

"I couldn't. I had to take the science test that I missed yesterday," Sam said.

"I don't care about some damn test! Science isn't going to help with hunting. It's not important!" John yelled.

Chuck continued to resist the urge to intervene. He hated seeing his grandson treated this way, but it would be best in the long run.

"Well, I don't think hunting is important," Sam said?"

"How dare you?! We hunt to get justice for your mother! Are you so ungrateful that you wouldn't give her that?" John asked.

"Don't talk about her. She'd probably be happy that I took my test," Sam said with a quiver of his lip. He hated it when his dad brought up his mother to make him feel bad. It hurt so much.

"She'd think you were an ungrateful little brat!" John yelled before smacking the boy hard across the face. It was an action that he'd soon regret.

Sam fell to the ground and started crying.

Suddenly, John threw through the room and was knocked into a wall.

Chuck had been determined to let things play out. He'd been set on that course of action since Sam's birth. That all changed the moment John Winchester laid his hands on the boy. He wasn't going to allow anyone to abuse his grandson.

John scrambled to his feet and took out his gun. He pointed it at the short, curly haired man that had just appeared out of nowhere. "What the hell are you?"

"Something that thing won't work on. And if you ever touch this child again, you'll learn exactly what I am and why my wrath is so feared. Not that you'll get the chance," Chuck said before approaching Sam.

John fired his gun at the intruder, as he'd dared go near John's son.

Chuck raised his hand and vanished the bullets. They wouldn't hurt him if they hit him, but he would not allow a stray one to hit his grandson. Once he was done, he slammed John into the wall and held him there.

Sam was holding his face while crying when the strange man knelt down beside him. He knew the man wasn't human, but he felt no need to move away from him. Somehow, he knew just knew the man wouldn't hurt him.

"Get away from my son!" John screamed at the being as he tried and failed to move from where he was.

"It's alright, little one. There is no need to cry," Chuck said softy before removing the boy's hand from his face and placing his own there. The bruise that was beginning to form was immediately healed. While he was at it, he removed the small amount of demon blood that had been fed to him as an infant. He had already decided to alter what the future might have been. He might as well go for broke. "Is that better?"

Sam nodded and let out a couple of sniffles. "Who are you?"

"I'm your grandfather. I'm going to take you away from here now," Chuck told him.

"Really? I didn't know I had a grandpa," Sam said in shock.

"He's a liar! Sam get away from him. Are you stupid?!" John asked angrily.

"Pay him no attention, child. You no longer have to worry about him. Come with me," Chuck said before picking him up. The boy was a bit old to be carried, but he planned to fly with him, which would be easier on Sam if he was in his arms.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked. He was slightly scared now. Not of the man carrying him, but of what was happening. Where were they going? Was he ever coming back?

"There is no reason to be afraid Sam. I promise, everything is going to be just fine," Chuck promised.

"But my son down, you son of a bitch! You're not taking him anywhere!" John screamed.

Chuck gave the man an amused look. "John, you'll find it more than impossible to stop me from doing anything I please. Now, this child was entrusted into your care to ensure he was safe and happy. It is clear now that you are unfit for the task. Your services are no longer required. And you should hope that I keep my son from coming after you when he realizes what happened tonight."

Sam started to get more scared. This man was saying he was taking him away from his father forever. He didn't want that. The man was his father and he still loved him. Plus, Dean was here. He couldn't be taken away from Dean. "No, please, let me go."

"I'm sorry, Sam, I can't. I know you're frightened, but you will see that it's for the best one day. I cannot allow this man to hurt you," Chuck said. With that, he flew away with the child.


	2. Chapter 2

Chuck arrived straight to his thrown room in Heaven with Sam. He knew it was the one place in Heaven that was sure to be unoccupied. At least until Michael determined he'd returned, which would be very soon.

Sam looked around in shock and slight fear. Within seconds, he'd gone from the motel room to a bright room with nothing but a tall chair in it. He didn't even know it was possible for anything to go from place to place that quick.

Chuck placed the boy down on the ground and knelt down in front of him. "Don't be afraid, Sam. You will never have anything to fear from me. I think you can tell that, can't you?"

Sam nodded. He did somehow know this man wouldn't hurt him. He didn't know how he knew that, but he did. Still, that didn't mean what was going on wasn't scary. He'd just been taken from his family by a guy that was more powerful than anything his father had begun teaching him about. "T…Take me back please."

Chuck shook his head. "I'm sorry, little one, but I can't do that. I won't allow you around anyone who harms you."

"It was my fault for talking back," Sam said as he looked down. Maybe his father was right. Maybe he was being a brat. His dad only wanted justice for his mom, and to help other people. That was good, right?

Chuck gently lifted the boy's chin up with his finger. "Never believe that, Sam. John had no business putting his hands on you, or speaking to you the way he did. You won't need to worry about that happening ever again. This is your home now."

"No, please," Sam begged.

Chuck grimaced at the look on the boy's face. He had the puppy dog face down to perfection. Gabriel should feel proud. Sam had obviously inherited the gift from his father. Gabriel was excellent at the puppy dog eyes.

He heard a knock at the door. He didn't even need to use his power to know that it was Michael. He'd allowed his oldest to feel his return the moment it had taken place. He knew the archangel would be eager to come find him. "Enter, Michael."

The doors opened, and Michael walked in, eager to be reunited with his father. "Father, you've come…" Michael trailed off when he saw the young boy who'd accompanied his father. He knew right away that the boy was not entirely human. It was faint, but he could sense the bit of Grace inside. It was extremely faint. He doubted a seraph would be able to notice. "Father."

Sam, meanwhile gasped as he saw the six large wings attached to the man's back. Was he an angel. His dad always said angels weren't real, but how else would this man have wings.

Chuck took Sam's hand and walked him over to Michael "Sam, say hello to Uncle Michael."

Now it was Michael's turn to gasp. This boy had a small amount of Grace and his father had just referred to Michael as his uncle. That only meant one thing. This boy was a Nephilim. But Nephilim were forbidden. Who would be so stupid as to create a child with a human? It was death to both the child and the angel. Was that why his father had brought the boy to him? Did he want him to execute the boy? "Father, do you want me to…"

"I want you to say hello, Michael. This child is a part of our family. As such, we will protect him at all costs. Do you understand?" Chuck asked in a firm tone. He dressed the conversation up so that Sam wouldn't realize the exact nature of the conversation, but he knew Michael would understand what was expected of him.

Michael nodded. He didn't really understand all of it. The child was a Nephilim. By law, he was supposed to be destroyed, at least that was what Michael had been taught since not long after humans were created. But his father was telling him otherwise, and while Michael wasn't sure why at the moment, his father was ordering him not to harm this boy, and that was enough. "Yes, Father, I understand.

"He's really my uncle? But I don't have uncles, except for my Uncle Bobby," Sam said, still staring at the new person's wings.

"You have many uncles, Sam. You will find that your family is about to grow dramatically," Chuck said with a smile.

"Is he alright?" Michael asked. The boy kept staring at him like he was the newest thing to ever be created.

"It's your wings, son. You must remember, he's never seen anything like you before. He didn't even know the supernatural existed until a few months ago. I'm sure you can imagine that it would be a bit overwhelming for him," Chuck said.

"He's grown up as human?" Michael asked. That didn't seem safe. It was extremely irresponsible of whatever angel had created him. A Nephilim's power was said to be great. It might even be greater than that of an archangel. That was why they were forbidden. Even if his father had seemingly changed his mind on that, precautions still needed to be taken. At the very least, he should've been under the direct supervision of his angel parent.

"I'm human. I'm not a monster," Sam said. He'd come out of his daze when the man, apparently his uncle, talked as if he weren't human.

"Of course not, child. You could never be a monster. How would you like something to eat? Are you hungry?" Chuck asked.

Sam nodded. It just occurred to him that he hadn't eaten since lunch at school. He was really hungry when he thought about it.

Chuck snapped his fingers and a table with a pizza and a tall glass of orange juice appeared.

Sam gasped once again at the power.

Chuck gave the boy a small nudge towards the table. "Go on. We are going to step outside for a moment. We'll be right back."

Sam nodded and went over to the table.

Chuck headed for the door and motioned for Michael to follow.

Michael shut the door as soon as they were out of the room. "Father, I don't understand. You said Nephilim…"

"Forget anything else I've said on the matter before today. That law is abolished at this moment. And I am to never, ever hear that child referred to as an abomination. Am I understood," Chuck asked in a hard tone.

"Yes, Father. So, what do you ask of me? Should I love him?" Michael asked.

Chuck sighed. Michael had still not learned the lesson of free will that Chuck wanted. Originally, that was to come when he came to know Sam as an adult. Well, an adult by human standards anyway. Unfortunately, he'd had to alter those events. "Michael, I want you to love him because you do. I want you to love him because he's your brother's son. I don't want you to do so because I tell you to. I have faith that you will. For now, I want for you to look after him for a while. Right now, I have to go find your brother."

"What brother? Who is that child's father?" Michael wondered.

"Gabriel," Chuck answered.

Michael's eyes widened by that news, and not just because he'd wondered if Gabriel was actually still alive. It was also because he was an archangel. His child would be more powerful than anyone could comprehend. "Gabriel is the boy's father. Well, why did he abandon the boy. Does he not know how dangerous that could be?"

"He did not abandon him. He is watching over him as much as he can. As for why he's not raising him, is it not obvious? He is afraid of what you or I would do to his child, and he isn't wrong to be, at least not where you are concerned. Had I not forbidden it today, you would've done anything you could to execute Sam if you found out about him," Chuck said.

Michael didn't speak. He couldn't deny it. He lived to execute his father's will.

"Now, I need to go see to your brother. He has angered a few Pagan Gods," Chuck said. A couple of Gods were currently showing his son their displeasure.

"Will you come back?" Michael asked in a broken voice.

"Yes, at least for a while. Since I've already broken my resolve on the matter of Sam, I may as well sort the rest of you out. I'm not happy with the way things have been going, son. You will hear about. But Gabriel is first. It seems I need to explain to him why it's a bad idea to pose as a Pagan God. I want you to remain with Sam. Also, set up a place for him and Gabriel. Your brother doesn't know it yet, but they will both be remaining here from now on. One more thing, I don't want Sam left alone with Raphael right now," Chuck said. He'd seen how things turned out with Raphael originally. He wouldn't allow it with a Sam that couldn't even begin to defend himself.

"Yes, Father," Michael said. He didn't quite understand the order, but it was given to him, so he would follow it.

Chuck nodded and disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

Michael walked back into his father's thrown room and found the young boy in there quietly eating. He still could barely comprehend that this child even existed, and it was even harder to believe he was Gabriel's. His baby brother had brought a Nephilim into the world. If he'd found out any other way, it would probably anger Michael, but his father had made changed his mind about the matter. He seemed to love the boy. That meant something. So instead, Michael was just shocked. It was hard to picture the baby brother he watched grow up as a parent.

"Hi," Sam said to Michael.

"Hello," Michael said with a smile.

"Where's that man who said he was my grandpa?" Sam asked.

"He will be back. He had to go talk with someone," Michael told him.

"Okay. Are you really my uncle, by blood?" Sam asked. He honestly didn't see how he could be, and he didn't see how that other man could be his grandpa. He knew they weren't human. How could they be his family. His family was human. His dad had even taught him that things that weren't human were bad.

"Yes, I am," Michael said before going over and sitting down next to the boy.

"So your my mom's brother? You can't be my dad's," Sam said. If this was dad's family, his dad would've recognized the mand that came to get him. Plus, Sam didn't think his dad would ever have family that wasn't human. Although, he didn't really understand how his mom could either. She was human, wasn't she?

"Well, it is a long story, but it will be explained to you soon," Michael told him.

"You look like an angel," Sam said. Well, okay, he didn't exactly know what angels looked like, but he knew they had wings. Although, he didn't think they had as many as his new uncle did.

"Do I?" Michael asked with a grin.

"Yeah. You have wings like angels. My dad says angels don't exist though. My brother doesn't think they do either. He says too many bad things happen for angels and God to be real. Pastor Jim thinks they're real though. He told me about them. Dad didn't like that," Sam said.

"What do you think?" Michael asked curiously.

"Well, I know if angels are real, they're not saving people or making the monsters go away, but maybe they help in other ways. Maybe they help people like my dad become hunters," Sam said.

"You live with a hunter?" Michael asked in disbelief. What was Gabriel thinking by leaving his child with a hunter. Most hunters believed that anything that wasn't human needed to be killed. This boy certainly qualified as something that wasn't human. Of course, Michael could see leaving the boy with someone who would be able to handle his powers when the time came, but what if this man didn't accept Sam when the truth came out?

"Yeah, my dad's a hunter. My big brother is sort of one too. He helps my dad sometimes. I'm supposed to learn to," Sam said. He wasn't actually supposed to tell people about this. His dad had lecturing him about that when he found out. But that was for people that didn't know about this type of thing. This man did. Besides, he said he was family.

"You don't want to," Michael said. It was a statement, not a question. He could tell the boy wasn't very enthused by the idea.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. I just found out about it. Dad said since I knew about it, I could learn about it too, but it's kind of scary."

"There are things out there that are very frightening. Things that children have no business learning to fight," Michael said. This child should not be being trained to fight the supernatural. Even for a human he was too young. As an angel, he was even younger. What kind of person taught this kind of thing to kids?

"It's okay. Dad says it's our job to fight them because they killed my mom. Dad says she died to protect me," Sam said before looking down. He always hated when his dad mentioned his mom and how she died. Sometimes he thought his dad blamed him for it.

"It's not your fault," Michael said after seeing his young nephew's body language shift.

Sam shrugged and looked at his hands.

"Have you been told it's your fault?" Michael asked.

Sam shook his head. "No, but I don't think Dad likes me the way he likes Dean. He never yells at Dean the way he yells at me."

"Dean?"

"My brother," Sam said.

Things began to click for Michael. His nephew's name was Sam, and apparently his 'brother's' name was Dean. There father had become a hunter after losing his wife. His nephew was Sam Winchester, the boy he'd thought was supposed to hold Lucifer. That clearly couldn't be the case though. A Nephilim couldn't hold an angel.

Michael was dumbfounded, not to mention worried. What did this mean for the final plan. Would it still happen? Was there a new plan now? He'd need to ask when his father returned. His father did say he'd changed things a bit.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"Yes, I was just thinking for a moment," Michael said when he finally came out of his thoughts.

Sam began to rub his eyes. He was tired. It had been a long day, and he was sure it was pretty late.

"It looks like you could use some rest. Let's find you a place to sleep," Michael said before standing up.

"I want to go back to my dad. I can sleep there," Sam said.

"I'm afraid you have to stay here tonight," Michael said. Actually, the child would be here indefinitely, but he did not want to be the one to explain that to him.

"Please take me back. My dad doesn't hit me very often. He only did it once before. Please," Sam begged.

Michael was shocked and outraged to hear that Sam had been struck. While he'd known this child less than an hour, and while not too long ago he'd been willing to destroy the boy if that was his father's wish, his entire outlook changed the moment his father proclaimed that Sam was family and needed to be protected. Now, Michael only saw Sam as Gabriel's son. And Sam reminded Michael quite a bit of Gabriel. Anyone that laid a finger on him needed to suffer the consequences.

Michael bent down a little so that he could look his nephew in the eye. "It was wrong for him to hit you."

"No, it's okay. It's my fault. I made him mad by not training. Please send me back. I won't make him mad again, I promise," Sam said. Now he was near tears.

"No, little fledgling. You have done nothing wrong," Michael told him softly.

"Please," Sam begged.

"It's not my decision," Michael said. He failed to mention that if it were, he still wouldn't send the child back. "Come, let us get you someplace where you can sleep."

Sam quivered his lip in defeat and before standing up and taking his new uncle's hand.

Michael cringed at the look on the boy's face. If he didn't already know the boy was Gabriel's, he would now. He gently led the boy out the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gabriel yelled out as a couple of Gods used him as a punching bag. Gods were capable of hurting him, not killing him, but hurting him. "Come on. It was just a little joke. Where's your sense of humors,"

Gabriel's words earned him another punch to the stomach. He groaned and pulled at the chains holding him to the wall. Of course, he could get out of them, but to do so, he'd have to blow his cover. The chains were made to hold Loki.

"Let's see how funny you think this is, Loki," one of them said as they held up a stake.

Before Gabriel had a chance to respond, both Gods were sent flying into opposite walls.

Gabriel looked up just in time to see a shortish man with curly hair appear. The man looked anything but intimidating. In fact, he looked kind of weak. But Gabriel knew better. He felt the power that barely even scratched the surface of what was in that tiny vessel. He knew exactly who was actually standing in front of him. His father.

"What is it with people feeling the need to attack my kin today," Chuck asked with a small bit of annoyance in his voice.

One of the Gods got up and approached the intruder menacingly. "I don't know who you are, but you're gonna pay for that."

Gabriel asked slightly amused and slightly annoyed as the idiot God tried to attack his father only to be lifted from the ground and held in mid-air by his father's immense power. Honestly, he wasn't thrilled about the interference. He just knew his father was going to blow his cover. Plus, he preferred him not to be around at all. It wasn't that he hated him or anything, but he had secrets that it was essential he kept.

The other God in the room immediately disappeared, knowing he was in over his head.

Chuck kept his attention on the God who attempted to attack him. "Learn your place. You may think you're a God, but you're a poor imitation. Isn't that right, Gabriel."

Gabriel groaned and used his Grace to free himself from the chains. "Thanks, Dad.

"Leave before you face my wrath for attacking my son," Chuck said before releasing the now petrified God. He then watched as he fled.

"You had to blow my cover, didn't you?" Gabriel asked annoyed.

"Your welcome, son. It was my pleasure to rescue you," Chuck said sarcastically.

"That would be a first. You haven't gotten involved to save anyone in a couple thousand years. And as it happens, I didn't need to be saved. I would've been fine on my own," Gabriel said.

"True, but I didn't have time to wait for you to get yourself out of this. You're needed back home now, Gabriel," Chuck said.

"Thanks, but I'm good. I have better things to do," Gabriel said before attempting to leave. It had been days since he'd seen Sam. He didn't like leaving him solely under the care of John Winchester for so long. He needed to go see him.

Chuck watched as his son tried and failed to fly away.

Gabriel glared at his father. "Let me go!"

"No. I told you, you're coming home. It's time to stop running," Chuck said.

"You first," Gabriel countered.

Chuck laughed. "Nice play, son. As it happens, I intend to go back. So will you."

"The hell I will! I'm not going back. I have things to do here," Gabriel said.

"Not anymore you don't," Chuck said with a knowing look.

All anger and defiance disappeared from Gabriel's face. All that was left was fear. His father knew. He could tell that from the look on his face. He knew about Sam. Gabriel had prayed his father didn't know and would never learn about Sam. He didn't want to think about what could happen to his son if the truth came out.

"Did you really think you could keep something so big from me. I knew the moment your child entered the world," Chuck said.

Gabriel grabbed his father and slammed him against the wall. "Where's my son?!"

Chuck didn't fight his son. "Calm yourself, Gabriel. If I wanted to hurt your child, I would've done so when he was born. He has nothing to fear from me. Neither do you."

"Where is he?!" Gabriel demanded to know. He didn't even really hear his father's words so far. All he could really see was that everything he'd tried to prevent had come to pass. He had to get to his son.

"He's in Heaven with Michael. Gabriel…"

Gabriel's eyes became impossibly wide as his fear got worse. Michael had his son. Who knew what he would do to him. "Let me out! Let me out now, old man!"

Chuck snapped his fingers, allowing his son to take flight. Gabriel wasn't going to hear anything else he had to say until he saw for himself that Sam was alright.

Gabriel immediately took off for Heaven. Chuck followed right behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Michael had set up rooms for Sam and Gabriel right off of Gabriel's office. There was now a sitting room, as well as a bedroom for Sam that the boy was currently sleeping in. Gabriel would be able to add anything more than he wanted when he returned.

Michael was currently sitting on the couch as he waited for his father and younger brother to arrive. He found himself contemplating the changes that occurred in such a short time. His father and brother were returning, and there was now an added family member. Michael wondered if things were finally turning around for their family.

Michael soon heard a flutter of wings. Before he even realized what was happening, he was yanked from his seat by a pair of hands. He immediately recognized his brother's Grace in the human vessel.

"Where is my son?!"

"Gabriel…"

"If you've laid a hand on my him, I'll kill you!" Gabriel shouted

Chuck soon appeared. "Gabriel, let go of your brother now!"

"Gabriel, he's fine. I wouldn't hurt him," Michael swore.

"Yeah, I'm sure! You've been all about carrying out Dad's will from the moment you were created! You'd do anything, even target an innocent little boy! I will kill you if you hurt him!" Gabriel yelled.

"I said let go of him!" Chuck said before getting in the middle and physically separating the two archangels. He kept a firm grip on his younger son's arm. "You need to calm down and listen to me! No one has or will harm your child. I won't allow it."

"You're telling me that you don't want my son executed for being what he is?" Gabriel asked, not really believing him. His father never made rules just to disregard them later.

"I told you, if I wanted him hurt, it would've been done already. I won't deny considering it when the child was first born," Chuck admitted.

Gabriel stiffened and hissed at his father's words.

"But as soon as I knew he wasn't a threat, I left the situation alone. I didn't bring him here to hurt him," Chuck promised.

"He won't be hurt, Gabriel, I promise. I'll never hurt him, and neither will anyone else," Michael added.

"Where is he?" Gabriel demanded to know. He wasn't going to believe anything anyone said until he saw for himself that his son was okay.

Michael pointed past the living room to a small hallway. "There's a room down the hall. He's sleeping."

Gabriel dislodged his arm from his father's grasp and heading to the direction Michael pointed to. He walked until he found the only door around and quietly went inside. He finally began to relax as he saw his son sleeping without any sign of injury. Well, he was pretending to be sleeping anyway. Gabriel could tell from his quickened heartbeat that the boy was awake and had probably heard a lot of the fighting.

Gabriel went to the boy's side and spoke softly. "Hey, Sammy. It's okay, I know you're awake. Don't be afraid, everything's fine."

Sam hesitantly turned onto his back and opened his eyes to find yet another person he didn't know. "Who are you?"

"My name's Gabriel," he told him. He hated that he had to tell his own son who he was. He hated that Sam didn't know him, that Gabriel had had to allow someone who was completely unworthy to raise his son. "Did you hear us fighting?"

Sam nodded. He didn't hear much of what was said, but he'd heard a lot of yelling.

"I'm really sorry about that. I was upset about something and it made me angry. I didn't mean to scare you," Gabriel said. He felt bad. He never wanted to scare his son. He'd just been so worried about him. Everything he'd feared seemed to become a reality, so he lost it for a bit.

"It's okay," Sam said. He wasn't scared anymore. This man seemed nice now that he wasn't yelling anymore.

"Are you alright, kiddo? Has everyone been nice to you?" Gabriel said. Sam seemed fine, but he wanted to make sure. He didn't really trust Michael or his father, not after eight years of being afraid of what they'd do to his son.

"Yeah. Uncle Michael's nice, but he won't take me home," Sam said sadly.

Gabriel was taken aback for a second by the way his son referred to his brother. He never thought he'd hear the boy refer to Michael as 'Uncle'. It was technically what he was, but Gabriel never saw him that way. All he ever saw was an enemy in regard to Sam. Hell, that was what he'd seen him as in regard to most things for many years.

"Are you my uncle too?" Sam asked.

"No, but I am your family. We can talk more about who I am another time. I think you should go back to sleep. It's pretty late," Gabriel said. Honestly, a huge part of him wanted to grab Sam and get him out of there. Despite the fact that nothing had happened so far, he was still scared. But he knew his father wouldn't let him go. Gabriel wasn't delusional enough to think he could outrun God himself.

"Will you take me home please? I want to be with may dad and brother," Sam said.

Gabriel sat down on the side of the bed next to his son and smiled sadly. "This has been pretty scary, hasn't it? You were taken away to a place you've never been and told about family you didn't know you had."

"Yeah. Please take me home. It was an accident," Sam asked. He was going to ask everyone he met until someone brought him home. He just wanted to get back to his family, especially Dean. His big brother was probably really worried by now.

"What was an accident, kiddo? Did someone get hurt," Gabriel asked. He wondered if Sam's powers had been realized or something and he accidently hurt someone. Gabriel could tell that the boy's Grace was a tad bit stronger. It wasn't much stronger, but as someone who'd watched over him as much as he could, he could tell. It would explain his father suddenly getting involved. But Gabriel remembered his father saying he didn't think Sam posed any kind of threat. He wouldn't say that if Sam had hurt someone.

"I was only hurt for a minute, and it wasn't that bad. Then my grandpa made it stop hurting," Sam said.

Gabriel frowned. "You were hurt? How'd you get hurt?" Gabriel asked.

Sam looked away. He didn't want to say. If he told this new person, he probably wouldn't let him go home either.

Gabriel gently took Sam by the chin and turned him back to him. "I need you to answer me, Sam."

"I…I was bad. I talked back," Sam said.

"John hit you?" Gabriel asked. He had to work really hard not to lose it. He didn't want Sam to see him angry, especially after just meeting him, but Gabriel was ready to murder John Winchester. He'd hated the bastard from pretty much the moment Mary Winchester died. He'd emotionally abandoned to young boys to get revenge. He put them in danger over and over again. Gabriel had many times thought of taking his son away from John, but the danger Michael posed was always greater than the one John did. He couldn't risk taking him and someone finding out. He could protect Sam from John's neglect from afar when he had to. However, he wouldn't under any circumstances stand for John hitting his son. He'd kill the bastard for touching Sam.

Sam watched the stranger in front of him. The man wasn't saying anything, but Sam could tell that he was getting mad. "Don't be mad. I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry with you, kiddo," Gabriel assured him.

"But you're mad at my dad, aren't you?" Sam asked.

"Yes," Gabriel said honestly. "He shouldn't have hit you, and I promise, he never will again." As far as he was concerned, all bets were officially off. It didn't matter what happened with his brother or father. No one would ever get away with putting a hand on his son. John Winchester would never touch him again. Hell, Gabriel would seriously be debating whether he even let the hunter live after this.

"It won't happen again. Please let me go home," Sam begged.

Gabriel sighed. It broke his heart to hear his son beg to go home to someone who'd hit him. It didn't surprise him though. Children like Sam often defending the actions of an abusive parent. No matter what they did, the kids still loved their parents.

Gabriel brought the covers up to Sam's shoulder's. "We'll talk more tomorrow, okay? You need to get some sleep."

Sam groaned, but he closed his eyes. He was too tired to argue any longer. He really did need to sleep.

Gabriel sat there until his son fell asleep and then left the room. We walked back out to find his father and brother waiting for him. "What exactly did the son of a bitch do to him."

Chuck sighed. "When you're not there, I try to be. I can't be there every second you're not, but I do my best."

Under other circumstances, Gabriel could've laughed. He'd worked to keep his family from Sam, and he hadn't even succeeded for a second. His father didn't only know about Sam the whole time, he'd been around him.

"I witnessed a fight that John Winchester was having with Sam. Sam said something that John didn't like, but was nevertheless true, and John smacked him across the face," Chuck explained.

"It wasn't the first time. Sam told me he'd been stuck once before as well," Michael added.

Chuck sighed. Like he told Gabriel, he tried to be there, but couldn't always. That first slap must have happened the rare moments then he and Gabriel weren't around.

Gabriel wanted to scream and trash the room, but that would disturb his son. The boy was frightened enough being in an unfamiliar environment and having already heard him yell. He didn't want to make it worse. But he was so angry, both at Winchester and himself. He never should've left Sam with John. The moment Mary died, he should've taken his son away. He was just so worried about what Michael would do.

"Son, I know you were upset, but I think you will even find now that this was for the best. John Winchester was never an ideal guardian, but this was unacceptable. I couldn't allow my grandson to be abused," Chuck said.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at his father. He wasn't wrong, but in Gabriel's eyes, this was his fault as well. "It's because of you that I had to leave Sam with him. I was trying to protect him from your laws. And you knew that the whole time. You could've said something. You could've let me know that you wouldn't hurt him."

"I believed it was better that way. He wouldn't have the best childhood, but I could see his future. I could see the lives he'd changed. He was going to change how this world ended up," Chuck said.

Gabriel hissed angrily. "It is not my son's job to maneuver the world to how you want it to be! He is a little boy! That's his only job! You were going to ruin his life to achieve your ends?! Did you even care what happened to him?!"

"Gabriel, you need to calm yourself," Michael said. He could understand his brother's anger, but he couldn't talk to their father like this. It was disobedience and it would be judged harshly.

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't have removed him. Nothing was worth letting me be abused. I brought him home and I made it clear that he wasn't to be harmed," Chuck said.

"Yeah, great. You're just eight years late," Gabriel said irritably. "Get out of here. I want to be alone."

"Alright, but you're not to leave. Sam needs to remain here," Chuck said before disappearing.

"Gabriel," Michael started.

"I don't want to talk right now, Michael," Gabriel said.

"Okay. I just want you to know that I won't ever do anything to hurt your child," Michael promised.

"Now you won't," Gabriel said. It was great that Michael wouldn't hurt his son. He could breath the first sign of relief in eight years. But he wasn't delusional. He knew that if his father had said otherwise, Michael would have come after Sam. "Please leave for now."

Michael nodded and headed out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Gabriel was in the kitchen making breakfast for Sam. He'd made a few adjustments to the place that had been made for him and Sam. Before, it had only contained a living room, a hallway, and Sam's room. Now it had everything a normal house did.

Normally, Gabriel just snapped up food when he felt like eating, but he wanted to cook for his son the first morning he was with him, so he snapped up uncooked food and used his Grace to make human appliances work in Heaven.

Gabriel had made every breakfast food imaginable. He knew what Sam liked, but he wasn't sure what the boy would want today, and he wanted his child to have what he wanted, given that he knew things were going to be hard for the boy for a while

Gabriel soon heard footsteps. He turned around to see his son peering into the kitchen in disbelief. "Hey, kiddo. Did you sleep well?"

"This wasn't here before," Sam said as he looked at the kitchen. There had been no kitchen when he was brought there last night.

"You're right, there wasn't. I made it while you were sleeping. "Are you hungry? You can have anything you want," Gabriel said.

As if on cue, Sam's stomach started to growl. He looked around at the food in awe. There was practically everything there. "Can I have the French toast?"

"Of course you can. Go sit down and I'll bring it to you. Do you want some orange juice too?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, please," Sam said before going to the other side of the room where a glass round table and chairs were located.

Gabriel soon came over with Sam's plate and a glass of juice. He then grabbed himself some pancakes and sat down next to his son.

Sam took a bite of his food and quickly went for another. It tasted so good, better than he'd ever tasted. He was used to mostly diner food, which could be good sometimes, but this was so much better.

Gabriel chuckled as his son went to town on his breakfast. "Careful, buddy. Don't eat too quickly. You don't want to get sick."

Sam nodded and slowed down just a little bit. "Can I go home after this?"

Gabriel sighed. The question didn't surprise him. He knew it was coming, but he was not looking forward to answering it. "Finish eating, and then we'll have a talk about it.

Sam didn't like the answer, but he didn't argue. He just went back to his breakfast.

Gabriel waited until Sam was finished eating before turning to him and speaking. "I know this is really weird and scary. All of a sudden, these strange people come into your life and take you from your home. We say we're your family, but you don't know us."

Sam nodded. That was exactly how he felt. They were all nice and everything, but he didn't know them. He wanted to go back to his family. "I wanna go home."

"I know you do, kiddo, but I can't let that happen. I want you to know that it's not a punishment. You haven't done anything wrong. I can't let you go back there because I can't let you get hurt," Gabriel said as gently as he could. He knew it wasn't much help though.

"But it won't happen again," Sam promised.

"It's already happened more than once, and even once is too much," Gabriel said.

"But I'll be good from now on. I won't give him a reason to hit me," Sam cried.

Gabriel reached over and ran a hand through his son's hair. He wanted to grab him and pull him into his arms, but worried that would just frighten the boy. "No, Sammy. I told you, you didn't do anything wrong. You are not responsible for someone hitting you."

"But if I did what he wanted…"

"Nothing you did or didn't do gave him the right to hit you. I'm sorry, Sammy. I know you're upset, but I can't let you go back there," Gabriel said.

"Please," Sam begged through his tears.

Gabriel sighed. He hated seeing his son so miserable. "Sam, the way John treats you isn't okay, and I don't just mean him hitting you. That's why we had to take you away, but he does other things that aren't right. He leaves you alone with no adult to take care of you, sometimes for days, and the things he's teaching you and your brother are dangerous."

"But he has to to stop the monsters," Sam said. He still wasn't sure how he felt about becoming a hunter, but he knew his dad helped people by doing what he did.

"A parent is supposed to put his kids before anyone else. Anything else, like fighting monsters, needs to come second," Gabriel explained.

"But I don't want to leave them. I need my dad and Dean," Sam said. He especially needed Dean. He didn't want to leave his dad either, but he couldn't leave Dean. Dean took care of him. His big brother was always there no matter what.

Gabriel winced. He knew losing Dean was even worse than losing John for Sam. And it wasn't fair. Sam didn't deserve to lose Dean, nor Sam him. Gabriel wished he could give Sam his brother. He'd watched those boys grow up for the past eight years. Neither would do well without the other.

Gabriel honestly would take Dean if he could. The boy meant the world to Sam, plus Gabriel owed Dean's mother for agreeing to take care of his son. He would happily return the favor and raise her son. But he couldn't raise a human child in Heaven. Well, his father could probably make it happen if he wanted, but Gabriel doubted he ever would. His hands were tied.

"What… What's gonna happen to me?" Sam asked with both fear and hopelessness in his voice.

"Everything's gonna be okay, buddy. You're gonna stay here with me. I won't ever let anyone hurt you. I know it's really scary because you don't know me or anyone else here, but I care about you a lot. I promise, I'll take care of you," Gabriel promised.

"What about Dean? Is he gonna come too?" Sam asked. He was starting to think about it, and It seemed logical to him. If these people were his family, they had to be Dean's too. He should be coming and staying too. If they took him away, they had to take Dean too, right? Sam hoped so anyway. It was bad enough that he couldn't go home, but he couldn't live without Dean.

Gabriel was saved from answering by a knock at the door. He was both grateful and annoyed at the interruption. "I'll be right back, kiddo, and we'll finish talking."

Sam nodded.

Gabriel got up and went through the living room to the door. He found his older brother on the other side. "Michael, I'm busy right now."

"Have you seen Father? He hasn't come back since leaving here last night," Michael said. He seemed lost and scared. He was afraid his father had left them again.

"I can't say it surprises me if he took off," Gabriel said bitterly.

"He said he was staying," Michael said. He sounded like a little boy and he knew it, but he was upset. His father promised to stay, at least for a while.

"Yeah, he said the same to me, but words mean next to nothing from him these days. Look, I can't deal with this right now. I am in the middle of a conversation with my son, and he is very upset," Gabriel said.

"Right, I can imagine. Look, you're not gonna leave to, right? You're staying, like father wanted? It wouldn't be safe for Sam to be on Earth anyway. His power will start developing soon," Michael reasoned. It was true, but honestly, he was really saying it because he didn't want Gabriel to leave again. Plus, he'd already started to become fond of his nephew.

"He's been fine for the last eight years. His Grace is barely showing," Gabriel said. Of course, it had become a little brighter, but Gabriel figured that was due to being in Heaven. He assumed any real power Sam had wouldn't show itself until he was older. That being said, Gabriel knew he couldn't just leave if his father didn't want him to. He'd be stopped.

"That's probably because of the demon blood," Michael stated.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at his older brother and practically hissed his next words. "The what?"

"The demon blood. One of Lucifer's disciples placed blood into his mouth as an infant. That's how Mary Winchester was killed. You didn't know? You didn't know you'd left your son with my vessel's family?" Michael asked surprised. He assumed Gabriel had all this knowledge. Although, he supposed Gabriel should be smarter than to knowingly leave his son with Michael's vessel if he wanted him hidden.

Gabriel was shocked. He'd had no idea that Michael's vessel resided in that house. It had to be Dean. That would explain poisoning Sam. Lucifer must have thought Sam was his vessel. He couldn't believe it. He'd left Sam with Michael's vessel. It was pure dumb luck that Michael didn't find out what happened. "No, I didn't know. Would I really leave him there if I did? I may as well have painted the word 'Nephilim' in bold letters on the door. "My son ingested demon blood?"

Michael nodded.

"I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch! He could've killed my kid!" Gabriel growled. Demon blood was dangerous to angels. If Sam hadn't been part human, that tiny bit of blood would've done much worse than suppress his Grace.

"Are you referring to the demon or Lucifer?" Michael wondered.

"Both," Gabriel said.

"Well, I can only guess that the demon blood has been removed, so Sam's safe now, and Lucifer probably won't be released anytime soon," Michael said. Normally this would bother him, but obviously this was his father's will. He didn't want the final plan to happen now.

"Hello, boys," a voice said from behind them.

Michael turned around and gasped. His father was there, but he was not alone. There was someone with him, looking both smug and angry at the same time.

"Lucifer," Gabriel bit out in a low growl.


	6. Chapter 6

Gabriel felt nothing but rage as he looked at his older brother. He couldn't believe his father had brought him back here. In the past, this was something he would've been happy about. The only thing he'd wanted was his family back, without the non-stop fighting. And it did seem like that was his father's intention. But how he felt was before he became a father, and before he knew what his brother had done to his son.

"Father, what's going on?" Michael asked. Like Gabriel, he was shocked to see that his father had returned with their brother. Why in the world would his father release Lucifer? The apocalypse was one thing. It was the plan his father put in motion to stop Lucifer once and for all. It was much different than releasing him and actually bringing him to Heaven. This should not be happening, certainly not with a tiny fledgling in the vicinity.

"I told you I was going to sort you and your brothers out. Lucifer was not excluded from that," Chuck said. He wasn't willing to let Lucifer stay in the Cage. He was meant to be released by Sam, but that wouldn't happen now that the boy had been returned to his father.

"Father, I don't think this was a good idea," Michael said. He wanted to be obedient, but Lucifer should not be here. There was a child to think about. Lucifer should not be allowed in the same universe as Sam.

"Oh, Michael, are you saying you didn't want me to come home?" Lucifer asked with a triumphant smirk. He was taking comfort in his older brother's unhappiness. He had a lot of angry for Michael, maybe even more so than their father. Michael had been the one to cast him out. He betrayed him. So he would relish in any discomfort.

Gabriel was becoming more and more angry as he looked at Lucifer. The bastard had the nerve to show off that smug look of his. He was gloating because their father let him out. Lucifer had nearly killed Gabriel's son, and the bastard had the nerve to give that look in his presence. Sure, Lucifer didn't know Sam was Gabriel's, but Gabriel didn't care.

Gabriel lunged himself at his brother. "You little bastard!"

Michael shut the door to Gabriel's rooms to try to ensure Sam wasn't disturbed, immediately ran forward and grabbed Gabriel around the middle. "No, don't!"

Lucifer, meanwhile, was shocked. He'd been so wrapped up in Michael's reaction that he hadn't seen Gabriel's. Now he was, and the youngest archangel was furious. That made Lucifer angry as well. What right did Gabriel have to be angry with him? He hadn't done anything. Michael and their father were the traitors. Why was Gabriel taking their side? He should be on Lucifer's side. He was the one that raised Gabriel.

"Calm down, Gabriel. I will not have any of you fighting," Chuck said with authority.

"Then you shouldn't have brought him here!" Gabriel snarled.

"What is your problem? The last I knew, you wanted everyone to get along. Now you're ready to fight me? For what? To please them? I did nothing to them or you!" Lucifer growled.

Gabriel made another move to attack Lucifer, but found himself unable to move out of Michael's arms. "Let Go of me, Michael!"

"How can you take their side over mine? I was the one that looked out for you, Gabriel. I did nothing to deserve what happened to me," Lucifer shouted.

"I don't give a damn about an eons old squabble. No, it's your more resent actions I'm going to tear you apart for!" Gabriel yelled back as he continued to struggle in his oldest brother's arms.

"Brother, I know you're angry, but you need to remember that Sam is not that far away from here. Do not let him see you like this," Michael urged.

Gabriel took in his brother's words and stilled as he remembered his son just around the corner. The last thing he wanted was for his son to come out and see him shouting and attacking someone. He'd already heard him yelling last night. Plus, the kid was afraid enough. He didn't need anything added to it. "Alright. Let me go."

Michael reluctantly let his brother go.

Gabriel glared over at his father. "Why did you do this? After what he did to Sam, you brought him here?"

Instead of answering Gabriel, Chuck looked over at Michael annoyed. It was obvious that Michael told Gabriel about the demon blood because the youngest archangel hadn't known about it before. "I didn't tell him yet for a reason, Michael."

"I thought he already knew. With all due respect, Father, doesn't he deserve to know?" Michael asked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Lucifer asked. He stopped understanding what was going on when Gabriel said he wasn't angry about him rebelling. His anger was apparently fueled by something he did to someone else. He didn't know what it was he'd done to this person though. He'd been trapped in the Cage for the last few centuries.

Just then, they all heard a door opened, followed by a small voice. "Is everything okay?"

Michael was the closest, so he immediately went over to the small boy standing in the doorway. "Hello, Sam. Everything is fine. We were just having a small disagreement. I hope we didn't frighten you."

Sam shook his head, no.

Gabriel, meanwhile, placed himself directly in the middle of Lucifer and his son. After what the bastard did, he wasn't going to let him anywhere near his son.

Lucifer stared at the young boy in awe. He didn't know who this child was, but he had Grace in him. It was a small amount, but it was there. He also clearly had a human soul. That could only make him one thing, but it wasn't possible. If that had happened, he would've been executed the second Michael laid eyes on him.

Gabriel smiled at his son. "Hey. I'm sorry I kept you waiting. I just got a little distracted."

"Who's that?" Sam asked as he looked at the newest person he laid eyes on. The man had three sets of wings, just like Michael did.

Lucifer smiled at the boy invitingly. He didn't know this child, but he knew that somehow, he was a part of his family. While there was a lot of anger and bitterness he felt when he thought of that word, especially where his father and Michael were concerned, family was still somewhat important to him.

"It's not important. He isn't anyone you need to worry about," Michael assured him.

"Michael, are you in here?" a new voice suddenly asked.

Everyone turned to the door on the other side of the room in time to see Raphael walk into the room.

Raphael looked around in shock. The only one he wasn't surprised to see was Michael. His gaze hit Lucifer first and then Gabriel, both of whom he never expected to return to Heaven again. But before he could dwell on other of their presences, he laid eyes on his father. "Father? But I was sure you were killed."

Chuck rolled his eyes at his son. "Raphael, if I were dead, you would be too. Everything I created would've died with me.

Raphael stared at him for a minute, but then his eyes moved to the youngest occupant in the room. A young boy who looked human, but clearly wasn't. It took him minutes to figure out what the child was and not long after that to relish in it. A Nephilim. Nephilim's were one of the most powerful beings in existence. He could fantasize about what they could do with that much power.

Sam leaned into Michael's side. He could see the way the man was looking at him and it scared him. He looked mean and like he was gonna do something bad.

"Look elsewhere, brother," Gabriel said. He kept his voice as pleasant as he could

"You're frightening him, Raphael," Michael said.

Raphael removed his eyes from the boy.

"Michael, perhaps it would be a good idea if you took Sam for a walk," Chuck said before looking down at his grandson. "We have a big garden that I think you will love."

Michael looked to Gabriel for permission. Gabriel was not his biggest fan since he returned, and Michael wasn't certain that his brother wanted him to take his son out of his presence.

Gabriel was hesitant. It was difficult for him to trust Michael. He knew realistically that Michael wouldn't hurt Sam now, but it was difficult to forget eight years of fear when it came to his brother. However, he trusted Michael more than he trusted Lucifer, or even Raphael. He didn't want Sam around them and he didn't want the boy to hear them fighting. "Yes, that's a good idea. Take a walk with Uncle Michael, Sam. We'll finish talking when you come back.

"I have to get dressed first," Sam said.

"I can help with that. Be prepared, this will be a bit startling, and it might feel weird," Michael said before snapping his fingers.

Sam felt a very strange sensation and then looked down at himself and gasped. Instead of his pajamas, he was now dressed in a pair of black pants and a striped red and white T-shirt. "Wow!"

Michael chuckled and held out his hand. "Come. You need to hold onto my hand the whole time, alright? This is a very big place."

Sam nodded and took his uncle's hand.

"Don't let him out of your sight, Michael," Gabriel warned. If Sam got lost and ran into another angel, it could end very badly.

Michael nodded and led the boy out of the room.

Once they were gone, Lucifer looked at Gabriel in shock. "You have a kid." It was very obvious that boy was Gabriel's. The way Michael looked to him for permission even after their father told him to take the boy out of the room was more than proof of that. He was in charge of the boy. Plus, he'd seen how protective Gabriel was over him.

Gabriel glared at his brother. "Yeah, I do, and you almost killed him!"

"What are you talking about? I've never even seen that child before today?" Lucifer asked.

"No, but your demon buddies sure have, specifically the one makes a habit of pouring its blood into babies' mouths!" Gabriel growled.

Lucifer gasped. That kid was one of Azazel's 'special children'? He was one of the kids infected to see if he was his vessel. It was then that Lucifer recognized the name. Sam. As in Sam Winchester. The brother to Michael's vessel. That made Sam his vessel. Except that wasn't possible if the boy was a Nephilim. A Nephilim couldn't hold an angel. At least he didn't believe so. "This means he's not…"

"Your true vessel was never created, Lucifer. He was never meant to be. Your future was meant to be shaped by the boy that just left here. Unfortunately, I had to change that future due to his irresponsible and abusive foster parent," Chuck said.

Gabriel glared at his father for the implication that it was somehow Sam's responsibility to change Lucifer. His son did not need to take on the task of somehow fixing what Lucifer did or what was done to him. If his father wanted to change the way things were, he could get off his ass and do it himself.

Everything hit Lucifer all at once. That boy was his nephew and he'd sent a demon after him. That toxic blood mixed with the boy's Grace could have killed him. At the very least, it definitely inhibited his Grace. He'd harmed his nephew. No wonder Gabriel was so pissed. "Gabriel, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I don't give a damn if you knew!" Gabriel yelled. "You had a demon poisoning babies with their blood. The fact that you didn't know that one of them was my son means nothing. You wouldn't even care if he were human. Hell, I'm surprised you care now, considering he's still part human."

Lucifer couldn't deny the accusation. He truly wouldn't have cared if the boy were human. Humans were disgusting creatures in his opinion. It didn't matter what happened to them. But his nephew was another story. "I won't pretend to care about humans, Gabriel, even human children, but I'm sorry for what I've done to your child. What can I do?"

"Nothing. Stay the hell away from my son!" Gabriel said angrily before storming out of the room.

"You have much to repent for, Lucifer," Chuck told his son.

"Yeah, and how about you?" Lucifer asked with a glare before heading out of the room himself.

Chuck turned to his remaining son and give him a stern look. "Raphael, don't think I didn't see the way you looked at that little boy, and don't think I don't know your intentions. I suggest you abandon them immediately. Any attempts to harm or use that boy will be met with a punishment worse than Lucifer's."

Raphael's eyes widened just at the prospect of such an outcome, and he immediately nodded his head that he understood.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam clung to Michael's hand as they walked. They'd passed by a lot of people that he didn't like. They all looked at him really mean, liked they hated him and wanted to hurt him. It really scared him.

Michael stopped as soon as they entered the garden and bent down in front of Sam. "It's alright, little one. No one will hurt you."

"They were mean," Sam said.

"I know. You must understand that they've never seen anything like you before," Michael explained.

"You mean a human?" Sam asked.

Michael honestly wasn't sure what the other angels thought of Sam, other than that he wasn't like them. They should know that no living human could enter Heaven, but he also didn't believe they could sense Sam's Grace yet. It was still too weak from the demon blood for anyone but an archangel to sense. "The reason doesn't matter. I promise, they won't hurt you. I won't let them, and neither will Gabriel or your grandfather."

Sam nodded and looked around. "Is this your garden?"

"Yes, it is," Michael said. He smiled as he saw the mesmerized look the child had on his face as he looked around.

Sam looked around in awe. It looked like a really big forest that was filled with trees and flowers. "It's so big."

Michael stood up. "Yes, it is, but we have a wonderful gardener to take care of it."

"He must get tired a lot," Sam said as he went over to one of the trees.

"On the contrary. I love it," a new voice said.

Sam turned and yelped at the sudden presence of a new person and he ran to his uncle's side.

Michael immediately put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "It's alright. He won't hurt you."

"Of course not. It is good to meet you, Sam," the man said.

"How'd you know my name?" Sam asked.

Michael quirked an eyebrow at Joshua. He was wondering the same thing. None of the younger angels had been told about Sam yet.

" _He_ spoke with me just before you arrived. I believe he wanted to prepare me for your presence," Joshua answered Michael's unasked question.

Michael nodded. "Sam, this is Joshua. He is your uncle as well."

"How many uncles do I have?" Sam wondered. His grandfather had said he had a lot of them. He wondered how many.

"Quite a few," Michael said with a chuck

"Hi," Sam said to Joshua a bit shyly.

"Hello, Sam," Joshua said with an inviting smile for the boy.

Sam turned to Michael. "Were those two men from earlier my uncles too?"

Michael stiffened at the comment. Sam was referring to Raphael and Lucifer. Michael didn't like even the implication that Lucifer was family to Sam, no matter how true it was. Nothing as pure as Sam should be associated with Lucifer in any way. "I suppose so."

"I will leave you two to explore. It was nice to meet you, Sam," Joshua said before walking away.

"Are you mad," Sam asked Michael.

"You seem like you are. You don't like those two men, do you? I don't think Gabriel does either," Sam said. They'd been trying not to seem angry when he came out, but he could tell they were. They just didn't want him to see it.

"It's not important. You don't need to worry about it," Michael assured him.

"I didn't like one of them either. The one that was staring at me looked mean. He looked like he wanted to do something bad," Sam said.

"That was Raphael. He isn't used to being around children, nor is he used to children being here. I think he was just very shocked," Michael said. He hoped that was the case anyway. He had his father's warning not to leave Sam alone with him in his head. He wasn't sure why his father would fear Raphael being around Sam.

"So, it's the nice one you don't like?" Sam asked confused.

Michael barely suppressed a flinch when Sam referred to Lucifer as 'the nice one'. He wouldn't have considered Lucifer at all nice for thousands of years. "The nice one?"

"Yeah, the other man. He smiled at me. He seemed nice," Sam said.

Michael knelt down in front of Sam once more. "Lucifer is good at tricking people. He wants people to think he's nice, like you did."

"So, he's a bad person," Sam asked.

"Yes. You must stay away from him. He isn't a good person," Michael said. A voice in the back of his head told him that it wasn't that simple, but he ignored that voice, just as he'd done for centuries. What happened was Lucifer's fault. If he hadn't rebelled, everything would have been fine.

"Okay," Sam said. If Michael said someone was bad, he believed him. Michael had been nice to him and protected him from anyone trying to be mean to him.

"Good," Michael said before standing up. "So how do you like staying with Gabriel?"

Sam shrugged. "Gabriel says I can't go home."

"You must understand it is for your protection. We can't let anyone hurt you," Michael said.

"But it's my fault. Gabriel doesn't believe me when I tell him that," Sam said.

"That's because it's not your fault. It is never your fault when someone does something bad to you," Michael told him.

"But he was mad at me because I didn't do what he said. I didn't train. He'd be even more mad if he knew I liked you," Sam said. He almost felt bad for liking some of the people here. He knew he wasn't supposed to. He was supposed to hate monsters, just like his dad and brother did. But they didn't seem like monsters, at least not his Uncle Michael, his grandfather, and Gabriel. They were nice to him. They were even upset that his dad had hit him. How could they be monsters.

"Why do you say that?" Michael asked.

"He says everything that isn't human is bad," Sam said a bit hesitantly. He didn't want to make his uncle mad by saying he was bad. He hoped Michael wasn't angry.

Michael winced at the boy's words. He wondered just how much self-hatred his nephew would have of himself when he was told what he was. John Winchester had instilled the evil of supernatural creatures into Sam's head. How would he feel about himself when he learned he was one of those supernatural creatures? "Sam, you have to understand that humans only see the supernatural when something bad happens. They only see those who hurt other people. That makes them think that they're all evil. But they're no they're no more all the same than humans are. You know there are some humans that are bad too, right?"

Sam nodded. "Like the bad guys that are on the news."

"That's right. It is the same thing. Not ever creature is the same as the next. Some are good, and some aren't," Michael told him.

"Okay. But what kind of creature are you, Uncle Michael?" Sam wondered. He looked like an angel, but he didn't think he could be.

"Let's save that conversation for another day. Let us just explore for now," Michael said.

Sam smiled and took his uncle's hand.


	8. Chapter 8

Gabriel sat alone in his office. After storming out earlier, he took a walk to try to calm down. Then he returned to his office and just took in his surroundings. It had been a very long time since he sat in this room. He was surprised that he actually missed it and Heaven quite a bit. Well, he missed how it was before everything fell apart, before every day was nothing more than another fight between his brothers or father. Then everything broke, and it was still broken. Everyone was at odds now, including Gabriel.

Gabriel had never felt such anger as he had in the last day. He was mad at almost everyone. He was mad at his father for waiting eight years before deeming his son safe, which led to Gabriel not being able to parent him. He was also mad at him for bringing Lucifer back where he had access to Gabriel's child. He was certainly angry at Lucifer, and his anger there needed no explanation. Then there was Raphael who he'd noticed look at Sam as if he was some kind of price he needed to possess.

Ironically, the only one Gabriel didn't want to murder was Michael. That didn't mean Michael was his favorite person, but he acted much different than Gabriel expected, even with their father's permission. He didn't treat Sam like an outsider. He actually was very good with him. He seemed to like him, and that was certainly reciprocated. Sam seemed very at ease with Michael. That could be because Michael was much like Dean, as he was supposed to be since the kid was his vessel.

Just then, the door to Gabriel's office opened and Chuck stepped through. "Hello, son. Can I trust that you've calmed some?"

"Get out," Gabriel said with a glare.

"I'll take that as a no. I'm not going anywhere. We need to talk," Chuck said.

"I have nothing to say to you," Gabriel said before standing up and headed for the rooms he shared with his son. Before he could make it to the door, however, he found his arm seized in his father's tight grip. "Let go!"

If anything, Chuck tightened his hold on his son's arm. "I've had enough, Gabriel. I know that you're angry, but it's time for you to remember who you are speaking to. Now, I said we need to talk. Sit down!"

Gabriel glared heatedly at his father for several moments before yanking his arm free and going back to his desk to sit down. As much as he wanted to tell the old man to shove his demands, he knew his father had more than enough power to make him do what he wanted.

"Thank you," Chuck said before walking over and sitting across from his son. "The anger's becoming a bit much, don't you think, son?"

"Maybe it wouldn't be if people didn't keep hurting my kid," Gabriel said irritably.

"I haven't hurt your son, Gabriel. I've protected him," Chuck said.

"Only when you finally deemed it too far. Yeah, you removed Sam when Winchester hit him, and I'm grateful for that, but you knew about him since the day that he was born. I had to leave him with a man that was not fit to care for him in order to protect him, and you did nothing! Worse than that, you let Lucifer's lackey's stick demon blood in his body!" Gabriel yelled.

"For good reasons, yes, I did. I believed the outcome would be better if I allowed things to play out," Chuck said.

"Not for Sam!" Gabriel snarled. "But of course, it wasn't about him, was it? You only cared what was best for you!"

"That's not true. I believed it would be best for all of you. Yes, Sam wouldn't be the happiest, but in the end, you, your siblings, and Heaven would be better for it," Chuck explained.

"Do you really think I care about what's best for Heaven, or any of these dicks here? My son's happiness and safety are the only things that matter to me. Everyone else can go rot," Gabriel said. Okay, that wasn't completely true. He did care about his father and his siblings. He even still cared about Heaven. But all of that paled in comparison to his child. He would sacrifice it all if it meant protecting Sam.

"I understand that. You're able to think like that. I'm not. I have to consider the bigger picture," Chuck said.

"Then you think of it without using my son! Don't make him a part of your better picture! He's just a child, and he's mine. You don't get to make decisions for my son," Gabriel said firmly.

Chuck looked at his son for a moment before nodding his head. Reluctantly, he could concede that Gabriel had a point. "Alright. As Sam's father, it is your job to take care of him. I will leave that up to you. However, there are certain things I will decide for him, and they are non-negotiable, because it is not just him that it affects. For instance, he needs to reside here. He's too young and too powerful to be grow up around humanity now that his power is no longer suppressed.

Gabriel grudgingly had to admit that his father was right about that. Besides, Sam could never fit in around humans now, or at least he wouldn't be able to when his power made itself known. "Fine, but you have to make sure that not one angel in this place calls my child an abomination because I will not stand for it!"

"Neither will I, son. You have my word that it will be handled.

"Good. What about Lucifer?" Gabriel asked.

Chuck sighed. "I know you're angry with Lucifer."

"No. Anger is way too tame a word for how I feel. He nearly killed my son! How could you bring him here?" Gabriel asked angrily.

"Because it was time for him to come home," Chuck said.

Gabriel laughed bitterly. "You're the one that sent him away!"

"Yes, because he was out of control."

"No, now he's out of control. He wasn't then. You sent him away because for the first time, one of us wouldn't do what you said. He wouldn't feel what you wanted him to and you punished him for it!" Gabriel yelled angrily.

"I second ago, you wanted him to stay locked up," Chuck said with an amused look on his face. He knew Gabriel still loved Lucifer, despite his anger. He was right now outraged on his older brother's behalf.

"Because he hurt my son! He hadn't then, and you locked him up! And when you did that, you destroyed every one of us!" Gabriel said loudly.

"I don't deny making mistakes, son, but any choices I've made was to benefit my children," Chuck said.

Gabriel was about to retort when the door opened, and Michael entered with Sam clutched to his side. Sam looked upset and scared, and Michael looked angry. "Hey, buddy. Come here."

Sam let go of his uncle and went over to Gabriel.

"What's the matter, Sammy? Did you not like the Garden?" Gabriel asked as he gently rubbed the boy's back.

"No, it was nice. There are a lot of flowers and trees there. It looks nicer than any garden I've ever seen," Sam said.

"What's got you so upset then?" Gabriel asked.

"The people are mean here," Sam said as he rubbed his eyes.

Gabriel stiffened and wondered how many of his siblings would be left after he was finished with them. "Did they say anything to you?"

"Not to me, but I heard some of them talk. One of them called me a filthy human," Sam said.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. I will put a stop to it," Michael promised.

"No, you won't. I will handle it myself," Chuck said fiercely. He was not going to allow his grandson to be uncomfortable every time he walked around Heaven, and he certainly wouldn't allow him to be called names.

"You better," Gabriel said calmly so as not to frighten Sam.

"You won't have to worry about anyone being mean to you anymore. I promise," Chuck told Sam.

"Uncle Michael says they're just mean because they aren't used to humans being around," Sam said.

"That's true, but it's no reason to act that way," Chuck said.

"Are you hungry, kiddo? It's almost lunch time," Gabriel said.

"Is Dean gonna be coming soon?" Sam asked.

Gabriel sighed. He knew he couldn't put that question off any longer. As much as he hated to break Sam's heart, he had to tell him that Dean wouldn't be joining them. "No, buddy. Dean can't stay here."

"Why not? If you guys are my family, you're Dean's too. Why can't he live here too?" Sam asked. He was barely keeping tears from falling. He wanted Dean. He couldn't live somewhere that his brother didn't live too.

"Shh. Please, don't cry, Sammy," Gabriel said as he pulled the boy into his side. "I know how much you miss your big brother. I wish he could be here, but he can't. You see, most people can't ever come to this place."

"Then, how can I?" Sam asked.

"Because you're special," Michael told his nephew with a smile.

"No, I'm not. Dean's the special one. That's why Dad likes him more than me," Sam said.

"That's not true. Don't let John make you feel that way. You are the most special little boy in the world to us. We all love you very much. If John can't see that you're special, that's his problem," Gabriel said.

"Will I get to see Dean still?" Sam asked. Tears were streaming down his face.

Gabriel picked him up and put him on his lap. He rubbed small circles into his back. "I will take you to see Dean soon, but after that, it might be a long time before you get to see him again. I'm really sorry, Sammy. I wish it didn't have to be like that.

"Gabriel," Chuck said quietly. He didn't think it was a good idea to bring Sam back to Earth, even just for a day. No one knew when his powers would start to show themselves.

"These boys need to say goodbye to each other, and they will get that chance. That's the end of it," Gabriel said through gritted teeth. First though, he would get Dean away from John. He knew he couldn't take Dean himself, but he would be damned if he allowed the boy to remain in John Winchester's 'care'.

"I think he's right, Father. Sam needs at least that closure," Michael said.

Chuck reluctantly nodded after a moment, conceding that they might have a point.

Gabriel got up and carried his inconsolable child into their rooms.


	9. Chapter 9

Chuck walked into the assembly hall, where all his angels were waiting. Michael, Lucifer, and Raphael were waiting by the platform for him, while all the others assembled in front of them.

The angels immediately began bowing and gasping when they found themselves in God's presence. Most had never even seen him before, so they were overwhelmed his presence.

Chuck walked up to the platform. "Hello, Everyone. I know that you are all surprised to see me. For those of you who are worried, rest assured, nothing is wrong, however, I have some announcements to make, and some new regulations to implement."

All the angels gave their father their complete attention as they waited to hear what he had to say.

"Most of you will find it surprising to learn that I have not been in Heaven in quite some time," Chuck started.

Many angels gaped in shock and some whispered quietly for several moments.

"Now, I am not exactly pleased with the way things have been run in my absence, and I intend to make several changes to bring things back to order," Chuck told them.

Michael looked down in shame. He hadn't meant to displease his father. He thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was leading his siblings the way his father wanted, to ascertain their obedience. Although, he supposed he went too far. What happened with Lucifer made him harder, plus he resented being forced to lead in the first place. All of that probably led to him being a little more harsh than he should've.

"Most of those changes will be addressed another day. For today, I have two things to announce. The first, as I'm sure you can all see, is the return of Lucifer. I know this likely frightens many of you, but there is nothing to worry about. He is no threat to anyone here. Right, son?" Chuck asked while giving his son a stern look.

"Sure, whatever," Lucifer said in a bored tone after a small, defiant silence.

Chuck nodded and turned back to the crowd. "Gabriel has also returned, though he could not be present for this meeting."

That last statement was met with much more enthusiasm. Gabriel was popular with many of the other angels. He'd always treated them with respect. They were overjoyed to learn that he was alive and had returned home.

"There is one more thing I want to address today. Many of you have noticed yet another addition to Heaven lately. A young boy who appears Human."

Many angels nodded, and some scowled, extremely put out by the fact that a living human was in their home. Such a thing wasn't supposed to be possible. Human souls were of course in Heaven, but they all had their own part of it. No human should be invading the angel side of Heaven.

"The boy's name is Sam, and while he might appear so, he is not human, at least not completely," Chuck said. He gaged their reactions and found that many were surprised and curious. "Sam belongs to Gabriel. He is a Nephilim."

Curiosity turned to shock, horror, and rage. The angels whispered furiously to each other, and the word 'abomination' came about more than once, as did calls for the child's destruction.

Michael became angry as he listened to the way they spoke of his nephew. It had only been about a week, but he was already very much attached to his brother's son. He spent time with him whenever he could. He loved the child. He reminded him of Gabriel when he was a boy. "How dare you?! You will never speak of my nephew in such a way! He is perfect!"

Lucifer looked ready to jump on them as well, by the way her glared. He didn't know the boy. His brother didn't allow him near him, but the kid was still Gabriel's, which meant quite a bit to Lucifer. Plus, he knew what it was like to be considered an outcast. That was no way for a little fledgling to be treated.

"Michael, that's enough," Chuck said before addressing the crowd. "Everyone, calm down. I know this is a shock to all of you."

"It is forbidden. It's an unfathomable crime!" one angel yelled out.

"Yes, I know the law you were taught. I made it. But I made such a law in order to protect the world from a being I believed couldn't be anything but dangerous, both to you and to humanity. However, Sam is no danger to anybody. That much, I can assure you. My grandson has a great deal of compassion, as well as a pure human soul. He is no threat. As such, the law about Nephilim being destroyed merely for existing is abolished. I certainly don't want you going out and procreating with humans, but I will not have my grandson condemned for existing when he has done nothing to deserve it. As such, after today, I will here no more talk about a Nephilim being an abomination. He will not be ridiculed or exiled because of what he is. He will be treated with respect. Is that clear?" Chuck asked.

They all answered that it was, though many reluctantly. Many didn't like it, but knew better than to argue with God's word.

"Excellent. You're all dismissed," he said. He then watched as they all filed out of the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gabriel waited patiently for Michael to return with Sam. He'd had his older brother take Sam out for a few hours, so he could set his room up. The room Sam was in had just been plain before. Gabriel wanted to make it personal, so that Sam would know it was his, and he wanted it to be a surprise.

Gabriel soon heard the door open. Sam stepped through with Michael right behind him.

"Hey, kiddo. Did you have fun?" Gabriel asked.

"Uh huh. Uncle Michael showed me his office. It looked really cool. He does really important things," Sam said.

"Eh, he just sits around all day," Gabriel said.

"I beg your pardon," Michael said slightly affronted.

"Sure, Mike, I'll pardon you this once," Gabriel retorted with a smirk before turning back to his son. "Did anyone bother you when you passed them today?"

"Not like before, but they still look at me weird. Some of them look mad and some look scared. I don't get why anyone would be afraid of me though. I'm just a kid," Sam said.

"I told you, Sam. They're just nervous because you're not like them. It will get better," Michael promised. He would ensure it. He would not allow anyone to treat Sam badly. He knew it had only been a day since his father's speech, but the others knew they were to follow God's will. Michael wouldn't tolerate any of them doing anything that would either disrespect his father or hurt his nephew.

"Okay," Sam said.

"Come with me, buddy. I've got a surprise for you," Gabriel said.

"Cool!" Sam exclaimed before immediately following Gabriel towards the room he was staying in. Once inside, Sam gaped in shock. The room looked much homier. The walls were painted in blue. There was dinosaur bedding on his bed. There was a bookshelf full of books and another shelf with a bunch of games on them, both on either side of his bed. There was also a desk with a bunch of art stuff against the wall by the door and a dresser across from the bed. "Wow! Is this mine?"

"Yeah. Do you like it?" Gabriel asked.

Sam nodded. "I've never had a room before. Any place I've been at, the rooms always belonged to someone else."

Gabriel ruffled his hair. "Well, this is all yours. You'll always have a room that's yours from now on."

Sam soon noticed something on the bed and immediately ran over. He picked up a stuffed bear that was laying in the middle. "This was my bear. Dad took him away a while ago."

"I know," Gabriel said quietly. He remembered that day. Sam was around seven, and John had decided he was too old to sleep with a stuffed animal. He didn't even give Sam time to get used to not having it. He just took it away one day. Gabriel had wanted to kill him.

Sam turned to him. "How you get it? My dad threw it away. Dean got him out and gave it back to me one day, but Dad found out and got mad. He through it away again and yelled at Dean."

Gabriel cringed guiltily. Sam and John both assumed that Dean gave the bear back, but it was him. He couldn't bear to see his son so upset without his favorite stuffed animal. He felt bad that Dean got blamed for it, and because of that, he didn't give it back to Sam again, but he did hang onto it.

"He threw your toy out?" Michael asked in disbelief.

Sam nodded. "He said only babies need to sleep with teddy bears."

Gabriel went over and knelt down in front of the boy. "That's not true, kiddo. Lots of people like to have something to cuddle with. It doesn't make them babies. When John took your bear away, I decided to save him. He's yours. John had no right to take him away."

"I can really keep him? You won't think I'm a baby?" Sam asked hopefully.

"Of course, I won't think you're a baby," Gabriel said.

Sam glanced over at his Uncle Michael, wanting to know what he'd think too.

Michael smiled at Sam encouragingly. "A baby? No, certainly not. You're a strong fledgling, and you'll grow stronger whether you have a toy bear or not."

"Thank you," Sam said before launching himself into Gabriel's arms. The man had rescued his favorite toy. He was really happy and grateful.

Gabriel smiled and held his son close.


	10. Chapter 10

Gabriel found himself inside the home of Bobby Singer. Things were beginning to settle with Sam in Heaven, so he decided it was time to deal with John Winchester. The first step with that was finding a place for Dean. He was not going to let him go into the system. He owed that boy and his mother too much for that.

Gabriel was sitting at the kitchen table when Bobby walked through the door.

Upon walking through the door and finding a stranger sitting at his kitchen table, Bobby took out his gun and pointed it at him.

"Hey, Singer. You have a hell of a way of greeting people," Gabriel said.

"I do when they break into my house. Plus, I got the feeling you aint a person. Who and what the hell are you?" Bobby demanded to know.

Gabriel smirked in response. "No one could accuse you of being an idiot, Singer. You're right, I'm not a person, which is why that thing in your hand is pretty much useless."

"Wouldn't mind testing that," Bobby responded, keeping his gun trained on the intruder.

Gabriel pulled both arms off to the side to give the hunter better access to his chest. "Feel free."

"What are you?" Bobby asked again.

Gabriel stood up. "I think I'll show you instead of tell you. That way we skip the whole 'you're lying' speal." He then used his power to allow the shadow of his wings to be seen.

Bobby's eyes widened in shock, and he slowly lowered his gun. "What the Hell?"

Gabriel laughed and his wings disappeared once more. "Nope, wrong direction."

"You…. You're saying you're an angel?" Bobby asked in disbelief.

"An archangel, actually. My name's Gabriel," he said.

"Are you freaking serious. You're the archangel, Gabriel? God's messenger?" Bobby asked. He knew a few things from the bible. He was far from religious, but even the non-religious knew some things.

Gabriel just smiled in return.

"For argument's sake, we'll say I buy this. What message are you here to deliver?" Bobby asked.

"Oh, none. The old man can deliver his own messages now. I'm here about the well-being of someone I think you care about," Gabriel said.

"And who's that?" Bobby asked.

"Dean Winchester."

Bobby's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell did you do to Dean?"

"Relax, Singer. The kid's fine. Well, unless you count being in the care of someone who is completely inept at taking care of a child."

Bobby groaned slightly, wondering what the hell John had done to gain the attention of an archangel. He always feared John was going to screw up someday. The bastard cared more about the damn thing that took his wife than his own kids. Bobby didn't think he'd hurt the boys, but that didn't mean he wouldn't put them in danger. He did it every time he left them alone to hunt. It also didn't escape Bobby's attention that the angel had only mentioned Dean, not Sam. "What did that idiot do, and why haven't you mentioned Sam?"

"Sam's fine too, but he's been taken out of the equation. He's safe. Dean is still with John, and I can't let that stand," Gabriel said firmly.

"Hold on a second. What do you mean Sam's been taken out of the equation? Where is he? Is he in Foster Care or something?" Bobby asked. He was worried about Dean too, but he at least knew where Dean was. Well, sort of. He knew he was still with John, and that he was at least safe for the moment. He was getting little to no answers regarding Sam.

"No, but he is safe and being well cared for," Gabriel assured him.

"And who is taking care of him?"

"I am. Sam's with me, and that's where he'll stay," Gabriel said.

Bobby glared at him. "You took him. What, you just grabbed a scared little boy out of his home?!"

"No. We took a neglected, mistreated boy from an abusive guardian who'd just hit him," Gabriel said.

"John hit him?" Bobby asked through gritted teeth. He was gonna kill the bastard. It was bad enough that John passed parental responsibility off on Dean and left the two boys alone for days at a clip. Now he'd turned physical. Well, the angel was right about one thing. They could not be left in John's 'care'.

"He hasn't been hitting them on a daily basis or anything, but he's smacked Sam at least twice," Gabriel said. His blood boiled just as he thought of his little boy being struck.

"Bastard! He won't get the chance again. I'll take them both," Bobby said.

Gabriel shook his head. "Sorry, Bobby. You can have Dean, but I told you that Sam stays with me."

"Why?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Because he's my son," Gabriel said. He had no reason to hide it anymore. All of Heaven now knew that Sam was his. He was no longer in danger.

"What? Are you saying John's wife had an affair with you?" Bobby asked in disbelief. He couldn't say it was impossible, as he never met Mary Winchester, but John acted as if his relationship with her was almost perfect. Of course, people often did that when their loved ones died. Plus, if this angel was telling the truth, John probably didn't know.

"No, it's more complicated than that," Gabriel said before explaining how he's entrusted his child with Mary Winchester in order to protect him.

"Why should I believe you?" Bobby asked. This was crazy. He had no reason to believe that the boy he knew was the son of an archangel, rather than being the son of John Winchester. Surely John would've noticed something different if the boy wasn't completely human, and John being John, never would've accepted him.

Gabriel laughed. "I really don't care if you believe me. What do I have to gain from you believing me? I already have my son, and you don't have the power to take him away from me. I don't need anything from you, other than a place to leave Dean, and we both know you don't need to believe me in order to take him."

Bobby had to admit that while his guy might be a dick, he wasn't wrong. What could Bobby do against an archangel? He could try to fight him, but there was little doubt that he'd lose. There was no reason to make a parentage. Plus, why would the angel want Sam if he wasn't his? Bobby doubted angels just went around trying to raise other people's kids. "Does Sam know?"

"Not yet," Gabriel said. He knew he had to tell his son the truth, preferably before he started exhibiting powers, which was going to happen soon, but Gabriel didn't know how to tell him. How do you tell a little boy that, not only is virtually everything he thought he knew about himself untrue, but he also wasn't entirely human? He was just a fledgling. How could he be expected to understand all of that.

"He's gonna be devastated. Can I at least see him?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, you'll be able to see him, but only once. You have to understand something. His powers are going to start making themselves known very soon. He will be one of the most powerful beings to ever exist, and he won't be able to control that power," Gabriel explained.

"So, it'll be dangerous for him to be around us," Bobby realized.

"It would destroy him if he hurt someone," Gabriel finished.

Bobby sighed. This was bad. He was going to lose Sam. Worse than that, Dean was going to lose him, and Sam would lose Dean. That was going to kill those boys. They were everything to each other.

"So, I'm going to get Dean. It should only take a couple of hours," Gabriel said.

"And John?" Bobby asked. He got the feeling John was in a lot of crap right now. He'd struck an archangel's kid. That wouldn't go over well. Bobby couldn't bring himself to care too much. He wanted to beat the crap out of him for putting his hands-on Sam.

Gabriel smirked. "He'll be dealt with.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucifer approached Gabriel's door. It had been a little while since they spoke. He'd hoped that some time to calm down would make his little brother more willing to hear him out. He knocked on the door and waited. To his utter disappointment, Michael was the to answer.

"What do you want?" Michael said with a glare.

"Nothing from you. I want to talk to Gabriel," Lucifer said before forcing his way inside.

"Get out! Gabriel's not here!" Michael said angrily.

"That's fine. I'll wait until he gets back," Lucifer said.

"No, you won't. Sam is here, and Gabriel doesn't want you near him. Actually, he wants nothing to do with you since you allowed his child to be poisoned with demon blood," Michael said.

"Yeah? And you deny any blame in that yourself? I sent the demon after those children, but you're the one that made it possible for your vessel to exist. You ensured his existence, and you would've helped the situation continue if that it wasn't revealed that Sam was Gabriel's son. You don't give a damn about humans being targeted any more than I do. You're just better at lying about it. You're no better than I am, Michael," Lucifer said.

Michael leveled his brother with a hateful glare. He would love nothing more than to beat him until he couldn't move right now, but Sam was in his room, and he'd notice if Michael went through with his wish. "I am nothing like you, Lucifer! I am a loyal son! I do what I'm told, and I would never do anything to harm my nephew!"

"Neither would I. But I never would've. If I had known who he was, that would've been it. I wouldn't have allowed anyone to go after him, even if it meant staying in the cage. I wouldn't hurt him. You can't say that you never would've hurt him. You may love him now, but that's only after getting permission to. How would you have reacted to him if Dad hasn't changed the law? After all, we both know it was you, not me, that Gabriel was son from," Lucifer goaded.

The loathing Michael felt for his brother only worsened, mainly because he knew Lucifer was right. If his father hadn't changed his mind, Michael would've done everything he could to destroy Sam, and that thought made his skin crawl more than once since knowing the boy. But he would be damned if he let Lucifer see that. "You know nothing about me, you bastard. He is my nephew!"

"Michael…" Lucifer started as he looked just over his brother's shoulder.

"No, he is Gabriel's son, and he will grow to be the best of us!" Michael yelled angrily.

"Michael, shut up!"

"And he will have nothing to do with you! You would do nothing but teach him to use his powers for evil! We won't allow it!" Michael continued his tirade.

"Michael!" Lucifer screamed, as he pointed behind the older archangel.

Michael finally stopped and turned around. He found Sam standing several feet away looking very distraught. "Sam."

Sam was trembling. He'd overheard a lot. He heard his uncle say that Gabriel was his father and that he had some kind of power. None of that could be true. Gabriel was taking care of him, but he wasn't his dad. John Winchester was his father, and he didn't have any powers. He was human.

"Sam, I…I'm sorry we were yelling. How…. How much did you hear?" Michael asked as he took a few steps forward.

Sam stepped backwards. He wanted to get away. He wanted to be anywhere else but here right now, listening to things that couldn't be true.

"Sam it's okay," Michael said. Before he could speak any further though, the boy had disappeared.


End file.
